Stapling hammer



Jan. 9, 1951 R. E. PETERSON STAPLING HAMMER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 21-, 1947 Patented Jan. 9, 1951 'STAPLING H'KMMER Roy E. Peterson, 'Norwalk, :Conm, assignor, thy mesne assignments, to The :E. H. ,Hotchkiss ;Cmpany, :Norwalk, Conn a corporation of Delaware Application 'MarchT2 1, 1947,SerialiNo.?736;1H4

8 Claims.

1 invention relates to ;-a staple driving ma-. niline, particularly of thetypeknown'as a ham- ;mer typetackerfiin Which-the staple is driven by using the devicezin'the manner of a hammer-and swinging it .to 'strikeiaiblow'with the headportion of "the device. :In prioriconstructions of this type of device ithasiheemcomrmon to "use -a Weight or "hammer element "which, when :movement of the device was arrested :as fit :struck the surface of the material, acted -:as a :hammer to operate the staple driving mechanism *and impart a 'blow to i-th'e staple "for the (driving operation. This reaqdired a construction :of considerable Weight which, if used fora consideralole "time, .soon'was very fatiguing "to the operator, and also -the blow of the heavy 'constructionwvas apt'tto :mar :01 injurethe work being operated on.

It is, therefore, :an "object of "the present invention to provide-a 'simplified'andmuch "lighter construction so that it is less tiring to the operatorand less ap'tto mar-:orinjure'the work, and one 'in which the operation is more "nearly like that, or'no more "fatiguing than, :the operation of an ordinaryhamm'er.

It 'is'also andbject to provide a construction in which shifting of the-striking elementis're'lied on to drive the staplerather than the inertia *of a 'relativelyheavy or hammer element, as in prior 'cons'tructions.

i lnother "object is to provide :an improved Flock fol-"the follower or staple feed mechanism'which cannot he accidentally unloc'k d an'd'oause release of the follower and failure "of the feed mechanism to operate.

With the foregoing and other objects lIlTViEW; have devised the cons'truction illustrated in the accompanyin drawings Torminga part .nf this specification. It is, .however, .to he understood "the invention is not limited-to the 'speoificudetails or construction and arrangement shown, but may embody 'var'ious changes .:and modifications Within the scope ofthe invention.

In these drawings: Fig. =1 is a longitudinal section (if the device showing the parts in the :norma'l positionaready I for usefin-driving the staple, the section being .=slibstantiailly Yon line :l -:i nf Fig. '3, .iout showing 'ithe staple strip and followeriinelevation;

-Fig. -2 :is a similar view-f fthezforward end itheredfxshowing'th'e=partssin their-'positions atthe 12nd ofithestaple driving operation;

Fig-3 'isza transversesection just underthetop we-111T the hea'd aiorhousin'g, wtaken substantially nag. .4 1S 'anveiiticalrsectioniin substantially "the :2 plane of the iront .face -:of the striking element -and:on-substantiallylline 4-14 of.-Fig. 1

Fig. 5 .is n ssimilar section *with the (striking element :removed and taken substantially on the plane of .the ,f'rontsurface of :the driver, the section being-substantiallyin the plane of the line Fig. -6 a transverse section substantially on theline 6-7.6 ofifilignl;

Fig. -'7 is a longitudinal horizontal section .-.of the rrear end iportion .of the handle taken .subasta-ntially 011,411.18 l--11of.1 3i i8;

Fig. 8 issa rear end-viewzofa'thehandle;

Fig.1!) :iS a front view *ofthe device with thehead :or housing, {the striker :and driver removed, and

looking from .theileftiof Fig.510;

:Fig. 10 is :a side :yiewmfrtheend :portion of cthe :device with the head -01 housing, striker and :driver removed, :as in Fig. :9;

-11, 11 2 and :13, ,are a side, rear-and bottom vie-w respectively of the =zstriker relement;

Figs. :14 "and .15 areenedge and front -view.-r.e-

aspectively of the driver fig. .16 is :a perspective view of the carrier -.for :thedrivergand Figsalfleand 1-8aare a front andside view-respechtively of the intermediate driving zgearzand .th mounting therefor.

The :device :comprises a handle :portion .5 and a head portion :2 :at the :forward endof the handle zportion. "Fl he handle structure includes adongitudinal staple freed or guide :bar .3, preferably of substantially zu-shapedsection, as shown in Fig. 6, along'whichza-strip of.-staples--4 may be .fedito the staple:driving position, these staples beingsof substantially inverted .U shape, and being .-f.ed along-the sguide ibar 3 bye suitable follower 5 which :is also :of inverted 2U shape to substantially fit the-guide bar 3. Thezside malls 16 0f -.the -.har

:are preferablyiinclined upwardly-and outwardly,

Ta S yshowminIFig. (Lian-d the -prongs of the staples and'the side walls f the lfollower are lprefer- "ablyinclined inwardlyin-a.similarananner so{that LU shamans-shown win :Efig. -6, ,Boththe bars 3 and 8 are mounted in a substantially U- shaped longitudinal housing bar 9, the bar 3 being mounted on the bottom wall of this housing and the bar 8 being mounted between the side walls It) at the upper ends thereof and secured by any suitable means, such as welding or transverse pins or rivets H. The bar 3 may also be secured by any suitable means, such as welding, rivets or screws l2.

The follower is fed along the bar 3 to ad Vance the staples to the driving position by means of coil spring l3 on a rod (4 slidably connected at its inner end to the folower 5 by any suitable means, such as the 100p l5 embracing the rod and secured to the top wall of the follower. The rod may have an enlarged head It to prevent the follower being forced off the rod by the spring. At its outer end the rod is mounted on a block i! which may be bent up from a strip of metal of suitable gauge to provide a vertical end wall is to which the end of the rod is secured, and an upwardly and forwardly inclined portion 12 provided with an elongated opening 23 (Fig. '7) to cooperate with the forwardly extending hooked lug 2! of a pivoted catch 22, pivoted in the bar 8 at 23 and normally held in its lower or holding position by a spring 24. This hook provides a notch opening at its forward side toward the front. At its rear or outer end it is provided with an upwardly extending thumb piece 25 for releasing the catch, and this may be knurled or roughened as indicated at 26 if des red to facili tate operation. Due to the fact the spring 13 tends to shift the block I! rearwardlv and the hook 2| of the catch extends under and forwardly of the bar 21 (Fig. 7) of the member 13, it will be seen that the onlv way this hook can be released is to first shift the block I? forwardy against the action of the spring i3. Therefore there is no danger of this catch being inadvertentl or accidentally released to release the staple feeding mechanism during operation of the device.

The catch, however, may be readily released when desired to permit withdrawal of the follower 5 for the operation of loading staples into the machine, by merely first pressing inwardly on the upright wall 18 with the thumb or finger to shift it inward y sufficiently to remove the bar 2! from the hook 2|, and then lifting the end 25 of the catch 22. This will permit withdrawal of the block I? and the rod H with the follower 5 to permit the loading of a new strip of sta les on the bar 3. After loading the sta le strip the follower 5 may again be placed on the bar 3 and the end block if merely forced into position, the forward end of the portion l9 acting on the inclined wall 28 to lift the catch as the block is moved inwardlv, the catch being returned to the holding position by the spring 24.

The follower 5 is provided with a downwardly extending lug 29 from its top wall adiacent its forward end to engage a cross wall 36 filling the foward end of the U-shaped bar 3 to prevent the forward end of the follower being shifted to a position under the staple driver when the last staple has been driven.

The hande may be enclosed by suitable check plates 3! to form a convenient and comfortable grip, and these plates may be shaped accordingl There are preferably two of these plates mounted on opposite sides of the housing bar 3 and secured by any suitable means. They are nreferably made of somelight material, such, for example, as wood, plastic, aluminum or aluminum alloys, or other suitable light weight material.

member.

The staple driving mechanism is mounted at the forward end of the handle, and particularly on the forward end of the longitudinal housing bar 3. For this purpose the forward ends of the sides IQ of this bar are extended upwardly, as shown at 32, to provide spaced side members to enclose and guide the carrier 33 for the staple driver 34. This carrier, as shown in Figs. 3 and 16, is a substantially U-shaped member with upright spaced side walls 35, and end or connecting wall 33, carrying an upright toothed rack 32. At their forward edges the sides 35 are provided with lugs 38 seating in notches 33 in the s de edges of the driver 34. This driver is preferabl. a flat strip of steel, and is held in position, with the notches 39 embracing the lugs 33 on the carrier, by suitable guide means. That the op posite edges of this driver are guided between the upright side portions 32 of the housing, and the forward edges of an intermediate support d! carrying a small gear 4| mounted on a transverse pin 45a and meshing with the rack 31 on the carrier 33. This support 40 is sub tantially U-shaoe and is mounted between the side walls 35 of the driver carrier 33, as shown in Fig. 3, its lower end 42 resting on the transverse bottom wall of the bar 8 at the forward end thereof.

Also guided between the side wals 32 of the housing at the for ard edges thereof is a slidable striker 43. This member, as shown in Figs. 11 to 13. comprises an u right flat bar portion 44 carrying on its inner side at its upper end a rack 45 mesh ng with the gear 41 at the opposite side from the rack 3 as sho n in Figs. 1 and 2, and at its lo er end is provided with a substantially U-shaped striking head 45, with side walls or legs 4'! embracing t e opposite sides of the forward end of the side walls H! of the housing bar 9. At the inner sides of these legs 4'! the connecting or end wall 48 is provided with vertical grooves 49 to receive the stepped forward edges 58 of the side walls In and provide a stop shou der 55! adapted to en age the top wall 52 of the striker head 46 to limit up ard movement of this striker These grooves 49 guide the striker memb r 43 in its reciprocating movements on the for ard edges of t e side walls H3 and revent its lower end being forced laterally out of position bv the blow aga nst an obiect to be sta l d.

These elements, including the ho sing walls 32, are enclosed in a head or casing 53, which is closed at its too by the top wall 54, but open at its low r end and secured over the u r ght housing walls 32 by anv suitable means. such as a transverse pin or rivet 55. The rear wall 56 of this head for s a guide ,for the carrier 33 for the stap e driver. and its front wal 5 forms a guide for the striker member 43. This front wall is provided with a vertical groove 58 in which is a coil spring 59 resting at its lower end on a lu 60 on the front wall of the member 43. and r sting at its u per end a ainst the wall 54. There is r ferably a nin 6l mounted in this too wall 54 and extended downwardly therefrom which is embraced by th s spring to hold it in its proper position. The stab e driver 34 is mounted and ui ed for its vertical s iding m0vement at its o osite edg s between the side walls 32 of the housin and between the forward edges of the sid s of the gear carrying support 48 and the rear face of the striker elements 43. Th s element 43 is guided for u and down sliding movement at its opposite edges between the housing walls 32, the driver 34 and the inner surface of the forward wall 51 of the head or casing 53.

The :driver carrier 33 is guided for vertical zslidf'i-ing 'm'ovement onzthe inner :ssides :of-zthekhousing ".walls :32 and between :them sand ':the sidewalls "of the member 40, and also between :the inner edges of these side :walls and "the :inner :surface of the rear wall 53 of the head .orzoasing53.

As will beseen'fromlEig. 1;the:normalposition :of the carrier .33 is e'levatedrso.thatitstopisat the underside of the top wall 5410f the head :or

casing 53, thus holding the staple "driver "34 in its upper or retracted position with its :lOWIGI drivin end 52 just above-the .forward staple4a, :which has been .advancedto this-positionby the staple feed mechanism. The inner :surface-.63

:of the "striker element 43 .lSpZZCQd from the :outer end 13a of therstaple guide lbazr .3ia distance substantia ly equal to 101 .sli'ghtlymore than .the wvidth of the :staple "prongs :and :the ithiokness :of

'itherdriver 34 to provide 'a guide :orraoeway hetween the "bar ".3 :and;the:striker 4.3 for -mov.ement f the *staple and the :driver idur'ing the sstaple lzdriving operation. :It will also the econ from v1 ;Eig. 31 that in the:normal :position .the striker element 43 is in its lower position with .the:striker 6. 17118181731318 is dependent primarily :on shifting-pf therstriking element .43 'by the striking .blow-of .itSllOWBl :end against the work, rather than by =headrportion 46 extended'below thezlower :wallcof ;the' housing .3. 4

:In driving :a staple, the operator grips the llowerend hitsthe surface of the-workitsdowniward movement .isof :course .arrested, while the:

:head :53 and the other elements continue their 'idownward movement until the lower surface .of

the :bar;9 hits the surface of the work. This cforces'the striking-elementAI-lupwardly into the head-.53 to thepositon shown .in. Fig.2, carrying with it the rack 45. This movementofthe-striking element and the mack 45 operating "through the gear 4| shifts the rack 31 downwardly and with it the carrier "which :of course carries with it thestapledriver 34 which is connected;v

"t'othi's carr er. This forces "theilower :end "62 of the driver downwardly to the position ofFi'g."2

handle I, the :same as he 'WOUId FaHY hammer, eand swings the .free end carrying the :head 53 the other elements to strike :the lowerend' p64 :of the striking -,element 43 against the work (indicated, (for example. at 6%.) to -.be stapled .at :ithe rpoint he'wishes'tcdrive :thezstaple. .As this pregulanmanner.

Having thus set forth the nature .of .my invention, what I claim is:

1. .A staple driving machine of .the character adescribed comprising a handle, ahead structure at one'end of the handle including -a casing sezcured to .the handle :and a vertically slidable rstrikin'g element :mounted within and :at the L'frontof the'casingysaidelement projecting at its lower endbelow the handle providing-a guide for :a staple, aireciprocableacarrier also .mounted in :thecasing, azstaple driverqin the casingat the inner side of the striking element connected With the carrier, adriving :connectionwithin the casing between :the striking. element :and the carrier 'operable'by upward movement 'of the striker .as

a result of ablow against an object toishiftthe carrier and driver downwardly to drive a staple through said guide, and means for feeding staples to the 'driving position.

'2. A staple driving machine of the character described comprising a'handle, a head structure at one end "ofthe handle including an upright 'hollow casing secured to the handle and a vertically slidable'striking element mounted within "the casing *atthe inner side ofits forward wall,

at the lower edge-of thehousing=9,:carrying with it the ."f'orward staple 4a.anddriving the prongs :-:of the staple into the work. .As soon as thendevice is raised from the work the spring59 :forces the striker element 435 downwardly to the position of Fg. .1, which operates through'the rack 45, pinion E1 and rack 3 1 to raise the carrier i33' and the staple :driver 34 again :to their; n-upper positions, as shown in Fig. 1,:ready for the next staple driving operation. Astheyireach this position, the staple str p 4 is fed forwardly by the follower 5 to position the next forward staple in the raceway under the lower end of the;-

driver 34 for the next driving operation. It will be seen the staple is driven through the lower portion of striking element 43 and therefore the location of the point where the staple is driven is the point at which the lower end of the striker hits or contacts the surface of the work. The operator can, therefore, accurately drive the staple at any location desired by merely striking this location with the lower end of the striker.

The driver 34 is provided in its upper portion with a longitudinal slot 65 for passage of the rack of the striking element 43.

It will be seen from this device and its operation that the operation of the driver to drive said elementprojecting at its lower end below'the handle and-providing a guide for a'staple, a reciprocable-carrier guided for up and down movement in'th'epasing, a staple driver at the inner "side 'of'th'e s'trikingelement connected with'the carrier, a driving connection within the casing from the striking element to the carrier comprising a gear between them, toothed racks on the striker and carrier meshing with said gear, a springtending to hold the striking element in its lower position. and means for feeding staples "to driving position under the driver.

3. 'A staple driving machine of thecharacter described comprising ahandle, a head structure at one end of the handle'cmnprising a support ineluding spaced upright side members, a gear mounte'd'betweensaid members, acarrier mounted for up and down sliding'movement at the rear edges of said members and including side members extending forwardly at the outer sides of the first members, a toothed rack on the carrier meshing with the gear, a staple driver secured to the side members of the carrier at the forward edges thereof, a striking element mounted for up and down movements at the forward side of the driver and extending at its lower end to a striking position below the handle, a toothed rack on the striking element meshing with the gear on the opposite side from the first rack, a spring tending to shift the striking element to its lower position and the driver to its elevated position, means forming a guideway for a staple to be driven under the driver, and. means for feeding staples to driving position in said guideway.

4. A staple driving machine comprising a handle, a striking head structure at one end comprising an upright support, a gear mounted in the support, a staple driver mounted for up and down sliding movement at the front of said support, a carrier for the driver mounted for up and down movement and including a portion located at the rear of the support, a toothed rack in the carrier meshing with the gear, a striking element mounted for up and down movement at one side of the driver and projecting at its lower end below the handle forming a guideway under the driver for the staple being driven, a toothed rack on the striking element meshing with the gear on the opposite side from the first rack, and means for feeding staples to the guideway.

5. A staple driving machine comprising a handle, a staple guide bar mounted in and extending longitudinally of the handle, means for feeding staples along the bar to the forward end thereof, a striking head structure at the forward end of the handle comprising an upright hollow casing secured to the handle, a striking element mounted in the casing for up and down movement at the forward end of the bar and providing therewith a guideway for a staple being driven, said element extending at its lower end below the bar in striking position, a staple driver mounted to slide in said guideway to drive a staple, a carrier for the driver mounted in the casing, a gear in the casing between the striking element and carrier, and a toothed rack on each of the. striking element and the carrier respectively and meshing with the gear on opposite sides thereof to shift the carrier and driver to drive a staple by upward movement of the striker by a blow on its lower end against an object.

6. A staple driving machine comprising a handle, a striking head structure at one end including a casing secured to the handle, a staple guide bar, an upright striking element slidably mounted in the casing and forming a guideway with the front end of said bar for a staple being driven, a driver mounted for upright sliding movement in said guideway, a slidable carrier mounted in the casing, means mounting the driver on the carrier, a gear in the casing between the striking element and the carrier, a toothed rack on each of the striking element and carrier respectively and meshing with the gear on opposite sides thereof to operate the driver by upward movement of said element, a

spring in the casing tending to shift said element to its lower position and retract the driver, the lower end of said striking element extending to striking position below the bar and providing a guide for the staple, and means for feeding staples along the bar to the guideway.

7. A staple driving machine comprising a handle, including a guide bar, a striking head structure at one end including a casing secured to thebar, an upright support including spaced side members mounted, in the casing, a gear in said support, a substantially U-shaped carrier slidable at the rear of said support and arranged with its side arms extending forwardly at the sides of said support, a staple driver at the forward side of said support mountedon the side arms of the carrier, a toothed rack on the rear wall of the carrier meshing with the gear, an upright striking element slidably mounted at the forward side of the driver and provided with a toothed rack meshing with the forward side of the'gear, a spring in the casing tending to force the striking element downwardly and retract the driver, said striking element including a lower striking end provided with upright side flanges projecting to striking position below the bar and providing with the end of the bar a guideway under the driver for a staple being driven, and means for feeding staples along the bar to the guideway.

8.'A staple driving machine of the character described comprising a handle, a head structure at one end of the handle including a casing secured to the handle and a vertically slidable striking element mounted within the casing, said element projecting at its lower end below the handle providing a guide for a staple, a reciprocable carrier also mounted in the casing, a staple driver mounted in the casing at one side of the striking element to slide in said guide and connected with the carrier, a driving connection within the casing between the striking element and the carrier operable by upward movement of the striker as a result of a blow against an object to shift the carrier and driver downwardly 'to drive a staple through said guide, and means for feeding staples to the driving position.

ROY E. PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

